FENCING: Australia has made a slow start to the Asian Olympic fencing qualifiers in China, with its first three competitors falling short of qualification for Rio.

Two-time Olympian Jo Halls was one of the fencers to bow out, losing her women’s epee semi-final in a close encounter to Kazakhstan’s Uliana Balaganskaya.

Balaganskaya was ahead 14-13 when time ran out.

Exciting Brisbane teenager Alicia Kwag is also out of Olympic contention, losing 8-9 to Indonesia’s Pua Chintya Anreiny in her round of 16 women’s foil contest.

20-year-old Jasper Rowley was the third Australian in action in Wuxi, China, but lost to Uzbekistan fourth seed Evgeniy Konovalov in the men’s sabre.

The final three Australians competing for Rio selection will fence on Tuesday, with Kristian Radford in the men’s epee, Lucas Webber in the men’s foil and Helen Phillips in the women’s sabre battling to earn Australia a berth in Rio.

ROSS SOLLY FOR FENCING AUSTRALIA