Iquique was selected as the host city for the event, in May 2006, at the Iberoamerican Athletics Confederation Congress (Congreso de la Confederación Iberoamericana de Atletismo).[1] A running track was installed at the stadium specifically for the competition.[2]
No championship records were set at an edition which has hampered by cold, windy whether in the Chilean city. Six national records were broken at the competition,[3] however, including a Chilean record throw of 18.65 m by shot put winner Natalia Ducó, which was also a South American junior record.[4] Ecuador's Bayron Piedra was another stand-out performer as he set a national record to win the 3000 metres, adding to his silver medal from the 1500 metres.
The competition was dominated by Brazilian athletes: seventeen gold medals were won by the country's athletes and it topped the medal table with a total of 44 medals – a third of those on offer. Colombia had the next most golds with five and Spain and Argentina took four each. The hosts Chile had two golds in their medal haul of eight altogether.[3]
Of the twenty-eight members of the Asociación Iberoamericana de Atletismo, nineteen nations sent delegations to the 2008 championships. This represented all the organisation's members but for Guinea-Bissau. A total of 322 athletes were set to take part in the competition [5] of which 316 actually participated.
^Biscayart, Eduardo (2008-06-14). Shot putter Ducó extends South American junior record in Iquique - Ibero-American Champs Day 1. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-01-03.
