The 2009 South American Championships in Athletics (Spanish: 2009 Campeonatos Sudamericanos) was the forty sixth edition of the tournament and was held between 19 and 21 June in Lima, Peru.

[2] Both area records were achieved in the 20000 metres track walk event, with Luis Fernando López running 1:20:53.6 in the men's race to break Jefferson Pérez's previous mark, and Johana Ordóñez winning the women's race in 1:34:58.

Three women won two gold medals: Rosibel García won the 800 and 1500 metres, Germán Lauro took the shot put and discus titles, and Inés Melchor set a national and a Championship record in the 5000 and 10000 metres, respectively.

[3] The competition was marred by drugs bans for medalling athletes: a Brazilian coach, Jayme Netto, admitted that he had administered the banned drug recombinant EPO on five of his athletes without their knowledge, which included: 800 m silver medallist Josiane Tito, 200 m bronze medallist Bruno de Barros, heptathlon champion Lucimara da Silva and 400 m hurdles silver medallist Luciana França.

[4] In a separate case, Lucimar Teodoro, the 400 m hurdles gold medallist, also received a two-year ban.