The Singaporean roster featured nine returning Olympians, with table tennis players Gao Ning and Feng Tianwei, who held a tally of three medals (one silver and two bronze) throughout her Olympic career, headed to their third straight Games.

Seven Singaporean athletes, on the other hand, returned for their second appearance in Rio de Janeiro, including rifle shooter Jasmine Ser Xiang Wei, world-ranked butterfly swimmer Joseph Schooling, along with siblings Quah Zheng Wen and Quah Ting Wen, sailors Colin Cheng and Elizabeth Yue Ling Yin, and badminton player Derek Wong Zi Liang, who was selected to lead the delegation as the nation's flag bearer in the opening ceremony, becoming the first male to do so since 2004.

[10][11] Following the completion of the Princess Sofia Trophy, the Singapore Sailing Federation had announced their selection for the men's RS:X, Laser Radial, 49erFX, and Nacra 17 to represent the country at the Rio regatta.

[12] Laser sailor and London 2012 Olympian Colin Cheng Xin Ru rounded out the internal selection for the Singaporeans at the World Championships in Riviera Nayarita, Mexico.

[20] Meanwhile, Gao Ning and Yu Mengyu were automatically selected among the top 22 eligible players each in their respective singles events based on the ITTF Olympic Rankings.