Singapore at Asian Games 2026: Can the Slide Reverse?
With its medal count sliding from 22 in 2018 to 16 in 2023, Singapore heads to Aichi-Nagoya leaning on sailing sensation Max Maeder and pool star Aloysius Yapp. Here’s what’s confirmed so far.
Singapore’s Asian Games Track Record
Singapore’s medal total and overall rank both slipped between 2018 and 2023, a real storyline heading into Aichi-Nagoya.
| Edition | Rank | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Jakarta-Palembang | 18th | 4 | 4 | 14 | 22 |
| 2022/23 Hangzhou | 20th | 3 | 6 | 7 | 16 |
Source: Singapore at the 2018 Asian Games and Singapore at the 2022 Asian Games, Wikipedia.
Singapore’s Strongest Sports
Diving was actually Singapore’s strongest sport at the 2018 Games with 6 medals including 2 golds, followed by canoeing with 5 medals — not swimming, as commonly assumed. Swimming’s Asian Games medal count has historically been thinner than at the Commonwealth Games or Olympics; Joseph Schooling’s biggest legacy medals came from those other events rather than a deep Asiad haul. Table tennis, bowling, badminton, squash, and sport climbing have also been consistent contributors.
Singapore’s Official Squads by Sport
Golf and esports are the only sports with fully confirmed named 2026 rosters so far — a notable gap with weeks to go before the Games, though roughly 250 athletes have reportedly been provisionally selected overall.
Confirmed via official federation/media sources
| Sport | Key Named Athletes | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Golf | Men: Nicklaus Chiam, James Leow, Hiroshi Tai. Women: Shannon Tan, Amanda Tan, Chen Xingtong | Confirmed |
| Esports | Pokémon UNITE squad led by Wayne “Rebongs” Chua and Travis “Rime” Fong; Gran Turismo 7’s Ar Muhammad Aleef s/o Mohamed Rafik | Confirmed |
Reported but not yet formally finalized
| Sport | Notes |
|---|---|
| Sailing | World-champion kitefoiler Max Maeder and Ethan Chia Han Wei are near-certain selections given their world-class form, but no dedicated Asian Games entry list has named them yet. |
| Swimming | Distance freestyle standout Gan Ching Hwee and rising swimmers Russel Pang and Julia Yeo are Singapore’s leading current swimmers and highly likely picks, but no named roster was found. |
| Athletics | Asian 200m champion Veronica Shanti Pereira and Calvin Quek Jun Jie are flagbearer-caliber and strong likely selections, but no named track roster was located. |
| Cue Sports | 2026 World 8-Ball Champion Aloysius Yapp is a virtual lock for the roster given his form, but no formal entry confirming his selection was found. |
| Table Tennis | A current national player pool exists (incl. Zeng Jian, Clarence Chew Zheyu), but this is not a confirmed Asian Games entry list. |
| Bowling, Water Polo | Both have current national team pools and, for water polo, published selection criteria, but no confirmed named rosters. |
Team confirmed, no roster yet / not found
| Sports |
|---|
| Wushu, Diving, Canoeing, Sport Climbing, Squash, Weightlifting, Badminton, Archery, Silat, Ju-Jitsu, Artistic Swimming |
Storylines to Watch
Can Singapore reverse the slide? A drop from 22 medals/18th place in 2018 to 16 medals/20th place in 2023 is the central question hanging over Team Singapore heading into Aichi-Nagoya.
Max Maeder’s star power. The teenage world-champion kitefoiler and reigning Sportsman of the Year finalist is arguably Singapore’s biggest current international sailing talent.
The post-Schooling swimming generation. Gan Ching Hwee and younger swimmers like Russel Pang and Julia Yeo represent the generation succeeding Joseph Schooling and the Quah siblings, with an open question of who fills the Schooling-era medal gap.
Aloysius Yapp’s gold-medal shot. Fresh off winning the 2026 World 8-Ball Championship, Yapp may be Singapore’s best gold-medal chance at any sport heading into the Games.
A cricket absence. Singapore’s failure to qualify in men’s cricket, despite hosting the qualifying tournament, removes a sport from medal contention this cycle.