Americas Continental championships · since 1919 
Mar del Plata, Argentina 4–6 Apr 1997
1997 South American Champs
Mar del Plata, Argentina 4–6 Apr 1997- events
- 43
- medals awarded
- 129
- nations on the podium
- 9
- world records
- 0
Podiums
200m
wind -4.2400m
800m
1500m
5000m
10,000m
3000m steeplechase
110m hurdles
wind +3.8400m hurdles
High jump
Pole vault
Long jump
Triple jump
Shot put
Discus throw
Hammer throw
Javelin throw
20,000m race walk
Decathlon
4x100m
4x400m
Medal table
9 nations · 129 medals| # | Nation | Total | Share | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Brazil BRA | 18 | 19 | 9 | 46 | |
| 2 |  Colombia COL | 9 | 4 | 7 | 20 | |
| 3 | Argentina ARG | 8 | 9 | 17 | 34 | |
| 4 |  Chile CHI | 3 | 7 | 3 | 13 | |
| 5 |  Paraguay PAR | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 6 |  Ecuador ECU | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | |
| 7 |  Uruguay URU | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | |
| 8 |  Bolivia BOL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| 9 |  Peru PER | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Records set
9 CR- CR Felipa Palacios 200m · Women 23.20
- CR Stella Castro 5000m · Women 15:48.82
- CR Stella Castro 10,000m · Women 33:24.07
- CR= Solange Witteveen High jump · Women 1.89
- CR Deborah Gyurcsek Pole vault · Women 3.85
- CR Elisangela Adriano Shot put · Women 18.16
- CR Elisangela Adriano Discus throw · Women 58.46
- CR Geovana Irusta 10,000m race walk · Women 46:01.06
- CR Colombia 4x100m · Women 44.58