Each National Olympic Committee (NOC) can enter a maximum of 4 competitors, 2 per each gender.

As hosts, China was given the maximum quota, but only selected 1 athlete per gender and a further 11 boys and 9 girls was to be decided by the Tripartite Commission, but only 9 boys and 6 girls were selected, the remaining places were reallocated.

[1] To be eligible to participate at the Youth Olympics athletes must have been born between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 1999.

Furthermore, NOCs will only be allowed to enter a single athlete in an event.

[1] The schedule was released by the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games Organizing Committee.