DOHA, Dec 10 - Asian fencers are gradually getting to grips with the cut and thrust of the sport and are warning their European rivals to be 'en garde'.

Olympic podiums have traditionally been the domain of France, Hungary, Italy and Russia but with increased funding and foreign expertise, the swordsmen and women at the 15th Asian Games say they are confident of turning the tables.

Thailand's Nontapat Panchan, who trains at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States, said competing abroad will help Asian fencers but that even more could be achieved with better funding.

"The standard is getting better. The exposure in foreign competitions and the foreign coaching is resulting in a lot of progress," Nontapat told Reuters.

"I'm lucky. My government supports me financially, but that's not the case with other people, and being an expensive sport, it means a lot of people can't play."

Fady Tannous, who competes in the men's foil, had to pay his own way from Lebanon to the Qatari capital and says that Asian fencers have reached a level where they are genuine Olympic medal contenders.

"I think Asians want to win medals now and we are competing with the Europeans," he said.

"There are problems with funding. We have to travel to compete and the equipment is expensive. That's all that's holding us back."

POTENTIAL

Decked out in protective white suits and black mesh masks, fencers from across Asia are fighting it out for the medals in Doha, with China looking to win at least half the golds on offer to build momentum for the 2008 Beijing Games.

China won three Olympic fencing silvers in Athens.

"We will do better than that in Beijing," Zhang Liangliang, ranked eighth in the world in the men's foil, told Reuters.

"We have all the potential to do much better, but we are not yet as accomplished as the European fencers. A few years ago, not a lot of people had even heard of the sport, but we have had good results so far."

Zhang said more state cash was available for sports like fencing thanks to China's booming economy, giving people the opportunity to take part in the relatively expensive sport.

Ten fencing golds will be up for grabs in Beijing, the sport's governing body FIE said on it Web site.