Athletics events at the 1990 South American Games were held at the Estadio Atlético de San Luis next to the Estadio Nacional in Lima, Perú, between December 6-9, 1990.

[1] A total of 42 events were contested, 23 by men and 19 by women.

Medal winners were published in a book by written Argentinian journalist Ernesto Rodríguez III with support of the Argentine Olympic Committee (Spanish: Comité Olímpico Argentino) under the auspices of the Ministry of Education (Spanish: Ministerio de Educación de la Nación) in collaboration with the Office of Sports (Spanish: Secretaría de Deporte de la Nación).

[2] Eduardo Biscayart supplied the list of winners and their results.

[4][5] *   Host nation (Peru)