STUDENTS will find any excuse to procrastinate rather than prepare for their exams but trying to qualify for the Olympic Games might well be the most valid one yet. Duncan Scott will turn his attention to the books in just over a week’s time at which point he will likely know whether he has achieved a place on the Team GB swimming team heading for Rio in the summer or not. Only the most heartless of lecturers would not take that sort of additional pressure into consideration when they pull out their red pen and begin marking come the end of term.

From tomorrow until next Sunday night, then, Scott’s sole focus will be on what he can achieve in the water. One of the Sunday Herald’s Six to Follow to Rio, the 18-year-old from Stirling University will tomorrow night check in to an apartment in Glasgow and start preparing for the British championships just as he would for a meet anywhere in the world. Some athletes prefer to remain in their own personal bubble – not literally – during competition time, not venturing to the track, gym or pool beyond their own competition slots. Scott likes to do it differently. And so he will be poolside at Tollcross most nights, soaking up the atmosphere and cheering on his team-mates and friends.

“We’re going [tomorrow] to Glasgow to stay in an apartment, self-catering I think it is,” he said. “Some of the others are travelling through each day but I want to stay in Glasgow to get the competition feel. I’m only going to be swimming on three days so I won’t get the competition feel if I’m not there for the majority of it. But that’s just my personal view of it. I’ll probably go to the other finals most nights to see how people are swimming.

“That will help motivate me and I also want to see how my team-mates are doing. Others do it differently. Robbie [Renwick, his Stirling team-mate] will just sit in his flat and relax. He’ll follow the races on a live stream but he won’t be there. It’s just down to personal preference. Some teams want everyone to be together but Stirling is quite relaxed about it and just let you do what you want.”

Scott will go in the 100m freestyle on Thursday, the 200m individual medley on Saturday, and then the 200m freestyle the following day. He could have done more events but both he and his coach Steven Tigg felt there was little to be gained by overdoing it. Scott mirrors the quiet confidence exuded by his coach about what he can achieve at Tollcross. He is swimming well, feels in good shape, and believes for the first time he can make it to a major competition in his own right having competed in the relays at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and at last year’s world championships in Kazan.

“It’s quite a big meet so three events is fine,” he said. “I’m feeling in good shape. I’m getting close to best times in season which I’m obviously really happy with. Hopefully I can maintain that going into the trials. I made the Commies and I think it was sheer luck that I was on the team. And at the worlds I was in the relay as well. So I’d like to make an individual spot if I can. Because if I just keep getting relay spots then what’s the point? So that’s the target.”

It is difficult to know whether it is mind games or just modesty when Scott, though, insists he won’t be among the favourites to qualify from these trials. Both he and Tigg believe he will be more of a threat at the next Olympics in Tokyo in four years’ time, while Scott points to the medal-laden achievements of both Renwick and James Guy to illustrate who he believes will be at the centre of attention this week.

“To me it’s just another chance to represent GB as I’ve only done it once before,” he said. “I just want to get on the team again. But I’m not seeing it as 'oh, I’ve got to make it to the Olympics'. This isn’t make or break for my career. I’m at an age where 2020 is the key but if I make this one then that would be terrific. Going into competitions and trials aged 18 I feel like there isn’t any pressure on me. I’m not one of the big names. I don’t feel like there is any real expectation on me, both externally and from within our camp as well. Steve and I have our own targets but on the outside world I don’t believe there are people thinking 'Duncan Scott should be winning the 200m free or beating the world record'. People are talking about Jimmy [Guy] or Robbie not me.”

The element of surprise, however, can sometimes work in a swimmer’s favour. Two year ago in the same pool, all eyes were on Michael Jamieson rather than Ross Murdoch ahead of the Commonwealth Games and the history books show just how that one turned out.

“That definitely helped Ross the last time. So that might help me too. But if the pressure is on Robbie and Jimmy then we all know they can cope pretty well with that. There is no doubt about that. Jimmy has shown his talent at worlds and Robbie has done well over the past 10 years. So it’s up to me to try to match that.”

Scott beat 27-year-old Renwick in the 100m free at the recent Edinburgh International Swim Meet and the pair will line up against each other again this week. The notion of them growing distant the closer it gets to race time, though, is waved away by the younger man.

“Nothing changes there, it’s all fine,” added Scott in typically relaxed mode. “We’re good mates. I don’t think our friendship is going to be affected the closer we get to the trials. It’s not a massive rivalry. I’m sure no matter the result we’ll both be fine. We’ve not been giving each other daggers in the changing room or anything like that.”

Expectation levels in British swimming may be growing by the year but it remains like a village when it comes to knowing everyone’s business. As much as Scott would like to stay under the radar, he acknowledges that won’t be very likely at all.

“Everyone in Britain knows everyone else’s tactics. I know Ben [Proud] will go out fast but as we saw in Edinburgh he can come back in fast as well. So it will be hard racing him. Jimmy is the same. Ross and [Craig] Benson know everyone in that breaststroke field, race plans the lot.

“You need to do your own race but also have an idea of what the others will be up to as well. This is what Robbie is so good at. He can see what is happening in a race and adapt to that. That comes down to his experience. I need to work on that and hopefully it is something that I will get better with than time. I’ve been trying different stuff out in each race this season to see what suits me best and what doesn’t work. Hopefully that comes in handy at the trials.”

Sports psychology and mental preparation are as important to elite athletes these days as their physical capabilities but Scott is not one to over-analyse things.

“I know for a fact there are people on the Stirling team who have been visualising their race at trials for several months now. I’ve done it a couple of times maybe but it’s not something I think about a lot. A few weeks ago someone said to me 'do you know the trials are only 18 days away?' and I couldn’t believe it. They’ve just sort of crept up on me. But I think we’re ready.”

And what about his Business and Sports Studies degree? “Two weeks after trials I’ve got my exams. So that will either be good or bad! That’s in the back of my mind. But it’s all about the pool for now.”