The 4th South American Under-23 Championships in Athletics were held in Medellín, Colombia, at the Estadio Alfonso Galvis Duque at the Unidad Deportiva Atanasio Girardot on March 20–23, 2010.

12 countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Perú, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela competed in both the South American Games and in the Under-23 Championships.

[6] * Jhamal Bowen from Panamá, won the silver medal in the men's long jump event of the South American Under-23 Championships.

[4] ††: The women's 10.000 metres competition was not part of the South American Games, because the minimum number of 4 participating nations was not reached.

Therefore, the Bolivian 4 x 400 metres relay team where she competed together with Lindy Carla Cavero Garcia, Marysabel Romero Lea Plaza, and Leslie Fernanda Arnez Rivero, lost its bronze medal (in 3:51.04) to Argentina.