Seven Singapore athletes to look out for at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan
More than 300 athletes will represent Singapore across 27 sports at this year’s Asian Games.
Gan Ching Hwee competes during a heat in the women’s 1,500m freestyle at the 2024 Olympics, on Jul 30, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (Photo: AP/Bernat Armangue)
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NAGOYA: The continent’s top athletes will converge later this week for the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, with a contingent of 304 representing Singapore across 27 sports.
Most of the events at the Sep 19 to Oct 4 meet will take place in Aichi Prefecture, with a number of competitions held elsewhere, including Japan’s capital city of Tokyo.
At the last edition of the Games in Hangzhou, Singapore took home 16 medals, with three golds coming from Shanti Pereira (athletics), Maximilian Maeder (kitefoiling), and Ryan Lo (sailing).
Nearly two-thirds of the athletes representing Singapore are making their Asian Games debut. Here are seven to look out for:
1. Gan Ching Hwee (swimming)
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Singapore’s best hope of a medal in the pool at the Asiad is likely to be 23-year-old Gan.
She holds five individual national records (200m, 400m, 800m and 1,500m freestyle, as well as 400 individual medley), all of which were set in the last 14 months.
At the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in July, Gan lowered her own 400m freestyle national record and finished fifth in the final.
At the 2025 SEA Games, Gan swept the 200m, 400m, and 800m freestyle events for the third consecutive edition.
She has the fourth-fastest 1,500m freestyle time in Asia this year, behind Japan’s Ichika Kajimoto, China’s Li Bingjie and Kajimoto’s compatriot Airi Ebina.
Gan is also pencilled in to compete in the 400m and 800m freestyle events.
2. Ryan Lo (sailing)
A two-time Olympian, Lo will be heading into the Asian Games as the reigning champion in the ILCA7 sailing event.
As a 13-year-old, Lo clinched an Optimist bronze for Singapore at the 2010 Games. Eight years later, he claimed another Asiad bronze, this time in the Laser event (now ILCA7).
But it was at the 2023 Games that he made his breakthrough, winning his first Games gold. There are reasons to be optimistic about his chances of a successful title defence.
At the recent men’s ILCA 7 World Championships, Lo, 29, registered the best finish by a Singaporean male sailor when he placed seventh. He was the best-performing Asian sailor at the meet.
More impressively, he led the fleet earlier in the competition and remained in medal contention all the way until the final day of racing.
3. Amanda Yap (artistic gymnastics)
Despite being just 16, Yap already has an impressive resume.
Last October, she became the first Singaporean gymnast to qualify for a World Championships final, eventually placing sixth on the balance beam.
Two months later, she claimed silver in the same event at the Bangkok SEA Games, ending Singapore’s 20-year wait for an individual balance beam medal at the meet.
Most recently, she followed up with another silver at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games – Singapore’s first gymnastics medal at the Commonwealth Games since 2014.
Speaking to CNA before the Asiad, Yap said she is hoping to make the balance beam final at her maiden Asian Games.
“I’m just hoping to go into the Asian Games and do my best because I know that the competitors, especially in gymnastics, are really strong,” she said.
“So just being able to compete alongside them will already be such an honour, and hopefully I can get into a final, and I’ll just do my best.”
4. Noah Lim (jiu-jitsu)
A student at Nanyang Technological University’s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Lim is also an accomplished athlete.
A three-time SEA Games gold medallist after wins in 2019, 2022 and 2023, Lim recently won his second straight silver at the Ju-jitsu International Federation World Championships in the men’s ne-waza under-69kg event.
At the last edition of the Asian Games, the 23-year-old came close to a medal.
First was a loss by one advantage point to South Korea’s Joo Seonghyeon in the quarter-finals of the men’s under-69kg event, and then later in the day, a narrow 0-2 defeat at the hands of Kazakhstan’s Aldiyar Serik in the bronze medal match.
To date, only one Singaporean athlete has clinched a jiu-jitsu medal at the Games, with Constance Lien’s historic silver (women’s under-62kg event) in 2018.
5. Shanti Pereira (athletics)
An athlete who needs no introduction, Pereira has cemented her status as one of the top sprinters in Asia.
In Hangzhou, she wrote herself into the history books by winning Singapore’s first athletics gold since 1974.
Just days before her 200m triumph, Pereira ended Singapore’s near 50-year wait for an Asiad track and field medal, after she took silver in the 100m.
The 29-year-old comes into the Games in good form. She has the fastest women’s 200m time in Asia this year (22.78s), and the fifth-fastest time in the 100m.
At the Commonwealth Games in July, Pereira made history by becoming the first Singaporean to qualify for an individual sprint final at the Games, eventually finishing eighth in the 200m final.
The goal for Pereira is to finish among the medals in both events, her long-time coach Luis Cunha told CNA.
“She’s embracing the pressure, and she wants this pressure,” he added.
6. Shannon Tan (golf)
No golfer from Singapore has ever won a medal at the Asian Games, but one cannot rule out Shannon Tan from making history.
The 22-year-old has enjoyed a strong year, which saw her amass five top-10 finishes at Ladies European Tour events and record a career-best Major finish at the Women’s British Open, where she placed joint-sixth.
It comes on the back of a stellar 2025, which saw her win two LET events and the LET Order of Merit.
The world number 60 is part of a six-player squad that will fly the flag at the Kasugai Country Club in Nagoya from Sep 30 to Oct 3.
The competition comprises both individual and team events over four rounds. Individual medals will be awarded to the players with the lowest aggregate scores after 72 holes.
“I’ve been fortunate to represent Singapore on a few big stages, but every time I put on the national colours, it still means a lot. I’m looking forward to competing, enjoying the experience and hopefully making Singapore proud,” said Tan.
7. Camille Spaccarotella (surfing)
Given the lack of natural surf spots in Singapore, Spaccarotella’s story is a special one.
The 21-year-old picked up surfing during a family beach holiday a decade ago, and will now make history as Singapore’s first surfer to compete at the Asian Games.
These days, she spends up to four months a year training in Bali, but also has competed across Asia.
At the competition, which begins on Sep 25, Spaccarotella has her sights set on a medal.
“I do want to have a podium finish. That is my aim for this,” she told CNA.
“But at the same time, I need to also recognise that this is a huge step in my athletic career as well, and I’m just really grateful for that.”
Source: CNA/mt(mi)
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