High class overseas competitors may be lining up in Edinburgh this weekend but locally-based Callum Tait knows that keeping pace with the best of his domestic rivals will tell him all he needs to know.

The event's place in the schedule has seen the British selectors instruct their leading competitors to be at the Commonwealth Pool this weekend, ensuring a fine test of form for all concerned at a key stage in the season and the 20-year-old Glaswegian who is studying medicine at Edinburgh University knows that in itself means he will be up against the very best in the world.

"Outside of the Commonwealth Games I don't think Scotland's seen a swimming event quite like it in a while," he observed.

"The competition comes at a perfect time for us because it's a month out from (World Championship) trials which is what our season is building up to which means it's a great opportunity because it's our last race before them.

"It will be hard to race fast because this is when we're training hard. The trials are still a month away so training's tough right now and most swimmers will be tired but we'll be in the same boat.

"It's really exciting how many world class swimmers are coming, we've got Olympic champions and world champions and Commonwealth champions as part of the programme so I'm really looking forward to getting racing."

Yet in the case of his specialism those world class swimmers will also be his rivals for a place in the national team.

"Men's breaststroke in Britain, you don't know where it's going to stop," said Tait, who is set to face against Olympic silver medallist Michael Jamieson, Commonwealth Gold medallist Ross Murdoch as wewll as England's European champion Adam Peaty in the course of the weekend.

"The advantage is that wherever you go in the world outside the UK the competition doesn't get any stronger and so there are no surprises.

"Every year someone does something special and someone knocks all expectations so I'm sure this year will be no different.

"It is my turn," he added, with a laugh.

He gives the impression that he now believes that, whereas once upon a time he would have found it more difficult to do so.

"Looking back to swims done by British swimmers in previous years, I remember watching them as a youngster and thinking these were world class swimmers and that I could never make it to that level," Tait admits.

"Now I'm at that level and there are people going faster. Everything moves on so fast, especially in the last few years in breaststroke.

"At the Olympic trials in 2012 when (fellow Scottish breaststroker) Craig Benson qualified, he's my age and he swam a huge personal best and a time that at the time was incredible for someone his age. Now that's swum regularly by British swimmers all over the place. Things have moved on. That's exciting."

Naturally it helps breed confidence to see someone from similar background prove successful and so, even more than Benson's success in taking part in the Olympics in London, Tait can now draw heavily upon the achievements of Murdoch, the Balfron-born swimmer who shocked Jamieson, in the 200 metres final at last year's Commonwealth Games.

"I'm from the west coast originally so home is really not that far away from Ross and we used to train together once a week and we would travel to loads of competitions together and stay together at competitions," said Tait.

"He was always capable of doing things special and pulling out big swims when he needed to, but it was amazing to watch someone who I had known for so many years and trained with to have such a big swim at the Commonwealth Games. So it's inspiring and I'm sure I'll be able to emulate it at some point."

Albeit hardly at the veteran stage, he believes he is relatively belatedly moving towards doing so.

"I think I'm quite a late developer," Tait reckons.

"This is my third year in the University of Edinburgh programme and it's a programme that is just getting bigger and bigger every year and I think the training's working really well for me. Every year I've had improvements so I'm sure this year will be the same."

Outside of the pool he meanwhile has the achievements of one more compatriot to aim to improve upon since Ian Edmond preceded him in the extraordinary task of trying to complete a medical degree at Edinburgh University while competing at the very highest level.

"One of the staff at the University said it should not be a target, but Ian took 10 years to complete his degree. He made an Olympic final as well along the way, so it would be great to emulate some of his successes," said Tait.

The Edinburgh International Long Course Swim Meet gets underway on Friday evening and continues until Sunday evening.