In 2010, the South American Games were hosted by Columbia in the city of Medellin. The multi-sport event is a regional affair held between South American nations. This first games took place in 1978 in La Paz, Bolivia and much like the Olympics have been organized every 4 years since.
The 2010 South American Games took place during the last two weeks of March at the Atanasio Girardot Sports Complex. Opening ceremonies were hosted by Colombian President, Alvaro Uribe Velez, on March 19. A total of 15 South American Countries competed in the events which included the following sports:
| Archery | Cycling | Karate | Table Tennis |
| Athletics | Diving | Roller skating | Taekwondo |
| Badminton | Equestrian | Rowing | Tennis |
| Baseball | Fencing | Sailing | Triathlon |
| Basketball | Football | Shooting | Volleyball |
| Beach Volleyball | Futsal | Softball | Water polo |
| Bowling | Gymnastics | Squash | Waterskiing |
| Boxing | Handball | Swimming | Weightlifting |
| Canoeing | Judo | Synchronized swimming | Wrestling |
1,551 medals were awarded during the competitions with Columbia taking home the most awards. Brazil and Venezuela were the 2nd and 3rd place countries respectively. On March 30th, an estimated one million people attended the Closing Ceremony in the streets of Medellin.