Shane Ryan is not looking beyond the next race ahead of next week's European short-course championships, however, the Irish record holder believes he is in a good place going into an Olympic year.
World short-course bronze medallist, Ryan, is confident of bringing home some silverware from the upcoming Glasgow event and pays tribute to his training regime, which he believes has put him in optimum shape.
"I am going to take it one race at a time," said Ryan, speaking to RTE Sport.
"I have high expectations because I am a little bit leaner and a little bit better, and the training has been amazing, adapting from long course to short course, while still having that long-course mentality.
"So I am really excited just to do what I need to do and come home with a medal."
Ryan will compete in the 50-metre and 100m backstroke events, as well as some relay races, with his prime focus on the 100m competition, which should be his main event at next year’s Olympics.
"The 100 back is going to be interesting," said Ryan.
"I swam my best time at the ISL [International Swimming League] meet, not even rested, not even shaved, and the best time since 2013, the last time I swam it," said Ryan, in relation to the impressive, career-best 50.93sec time that he recorded earlier this month in Maryland.
The short-course format takes place in a 25m pool, compared to the 50m Olympic standard, and while Ryan has been preparing for Glasgow, he maintains that a combination of both formats have helped him improve his power and aerobic ability.
"We still train long course over three times a week, and I actually feel way better in the water now because you go from short course, you get the walls, you get the power, but you still have that aerobic base from doing the long course, so it is really nice to have what we have going on at the NAC right now."
Ryan expects tough competition from the best on offer from Europe at the Scottish meet but still believes that he can bring home a medal.
"If you have a lane you have a chance, but there are a couple of Germans who are swimming fast and a Russian who won the worlds is swimming pretty good, but I am a bit better now so I think I can squeeze in there."
Looking ahead to the Tokyo Olympics, Ryan still needs to make the Olympic qualifier time before rubber-stamping his place on the plane to Japan, but the 25-year-old is confident that he will secure the standard.
"That is the only place that I can do it for the individuals," said Ryan, speaking about next year’s Olympic trials.
"I have two swims, one in the morning and one in the night and it is my time from Rio that I have to qualify under, and I am better now than I was in Rio, so I just have to get underneath that."
With no 50m backstroke event in Japan, Ryan will put all his energies into the 100m backstroke should he reach his second consecutive Olympic Games.
Ryan broke the Irish record in Rio back at the 2016 Games as he swam 53.85secs to qualify for the semi-finals, and he fully expects to swim below that time at the Irish qualifying meet.
And the Pennsylvania-born swimmer believes he is in a much better place now compared to his performance and preparation for this year’s world championships, where he failed to reach the semi-finals, recording a time of 54.24secs.
"It is only one event, two laps, that’s really it. But my aerobic base is a lot better right now, my power is a lot better and I have a better head on my shoulders, that is the most important thing.
"It was really inside my head in the four months building up to the worlds, but now it is a lot more freer so I am enjoying my life and swimming a lot more.
"Whatever happens, happens, but you just have to do what you got to do, do the business."
