The Spanish team (29 athletes) was much smaller than previous delegations as most of the Spaniards chose to focus on the 2000 Sydney Olympics instead.

[4] Cuba and Colombia won five golds each, while Argentina and Mexico had the third and fourth largest totals, with eleven and ten medals respectively.

[2] Brazil dominated the men's track events and Hudson de Souza completed an 800/1500 metres double.

[5] Future world champion Naide Gomes won São Tomé and Príncipe's first ever medal with her runner-up performance in the heptathlon.

Costa Rica, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic were other regular participants who did not take part in the championships.