EVEN after six years of competing at elite level, the same fusion of nerves and excitement still bubbles away inside Dan Purvis the closer it gets to a major event. The gymnast, one of the Sunday Herald’s Six to Follow, is in the midst of his final preparations ahead of the European Championships that begin in Bern, Switzerland on Wednesday, with half a mind already on mid-July when the team for the Olympics will be revealed. Given Purvis’ consistency of performance it already seems highly likely he will be given the chance to add to the team bronze he won in London four years ago but for now he can take nothing for granted. Performing well this week, in what is the last major event before the team announcement, will only serve to enhance his chances.

“I’m sure I’ll still be nervous before they announce the team for the Olympics but in my head mentally I’ll know before then whether I’ve had a good year or not,” he said. “The Euros is the last big competition before the Olympics so if I can do the business there then there’s no reason why I can’t do that in Rio as well. So I’m going to take this one very seriously and hopefully come back with my head held high.

“In 2012 just before the Olympics we managed to get European gold so we’d love to do that again with Rio around the corner. That would be incredible and there’s no reason why not. We managed to beat Russia at the world championships in Glasgow last year and I think the whole team is feeling confident going into this one.

“It’s ultimately another stepping stone for Rio. That’s the main goal. So I want to go to the Europeans and do a good job as if I can do that it will stand me in good stead looking towards the Olympics. I’ve got quite a bit of pressure on my shoulders but hopefully I can deliver and give myself a good chance of making it to Rio.”

Refreshingly, there is no “taking it one competition at a time” rhetoric from Purvis. From day to day the 25 year-old often finds his mind wandering towards Rio, envisaging himself in the arena and imagining adding another medal to the collection.

“I do find myself thinking about the Olympics from time to time, maybe driving home on a long journey,” he admits. “Your mind starts to wander about whether you could come back with a medal or thinking about the arena and competing there. I’ve seen pictures of it so I can visualise it and that psyches you up when you’re training. That definitely motivates you.

“London in 2012 was something else, quite an incredible experience. Competing at the O2 Arena is probably something that can never be topped especially winning a medal. But over the last four years it’s definitely been harder to get into the teams and you’re aware you’re getting older as well, so I think that’s made me a better gymnast. So getting to Rio would almost be a better achievement in many ways and I’d love to get there and show what I can do at my second Olympics.”

Purvis, born and raised in Merseyside, qualifies to compete for Scotland via his Dundonian mother and is always grateful whenever the northern branch of his family congregate to watch him compete as happened at the recent British Championships in Liverpool.

“They always come down from Dundee to try to support me and they’re all so important to me. I’ve still got aunties, uncles and cousins up there and they’re always asking how I’m getting on and where I’m going to be competing next. And they come to events whenever they came. A few came down for the British Championships and I managed to see them afterwards and go out for a meal which was really nice. I’m always trying to explain the different elements of gymnastics to them but they normally just end up asking about what leotard I’m going to be wearing and ribbing me for that! But it’s nice to have family on both sides of the border and both give me lots of support. Getting to represent Scotland at international level has always been massively important to me.”