AS the Team GB gymnastics squad settle into their Olympic digs in Rio this week, Daniel Purvis will be almost 6000 miles away in the UK as he reflects on what might have been.

The 25-year-old Scot has been a mainstay of the Great Britain team in recent years, his solid performances earning him the nickname of "Mr Reliable" and dubbed "the Postman" among his peers because of his ability to deliver on the big stage.

He has competed at every gymnastics major since 2009 and was an integral part of the history-making GB teams that won Olympic bronze at London four years ago and silver at the World Championships in Glasgow last autumn.

Yet, Purvis – one of the Sunday Herald's Six To Follow to Rio – was a surprise omission from the five-strong men's contingent that will compete at the Olympic Games next weekend.

The quintet will be led by reigning world pommel horse champion Max Whitlock alongside Nile Wilson, Kristian Thomas, Brinn Bevan and Louis Smith. Purvis, Sam Oldham and Courtney Tulloch were named as a non-travelling reserves.

Purvis admits that no one was more surprised than him. "I was gutted," he says. "It was a massive shock not only from my point of view but for my personal coach [Jeff Brooks] and my family too. We thought there was a real possibility of me going to Rio. Realistically, it is probably my last chance at an Olympic Games so that is quite hard to swallow."

He appealed the decision but was unsuccessful. There is no bitterness to his tone when Purvis recounts how events unfolded. Merely confusion and disappointment as he attempts to make sense of it all.

Nor is there any doubting his sincerity as he wishes the selected gymnasts all the best as they begin their medal quest at the Rio Olympic Arena next weekend.

"I'm 100 per cent behind the team," he says. "It is because of the guys that I pushed as hard as I did and I would like to think I pushed them on too. I have such close friends in the team. I will be supporting them and hope to see them do well."

Motivating himself to return to training in recent weeks has taken colossal inner strength. "I was disheartened and if I wasn't going [to Rio] wondered whether I wanted to be the reserve," says Purvis. "I thought about it and decided that for the team – and my mates – I wanted to be there in case anything happened. I think that has helped me get back in the gym."

There was a week between Purvis learning he wouldn't be going to Rio and the official team announcement. He spent that period in enforced solitary confinement unable to tell anyone until the news was made public.

Purvis said he was blown away by the reaction from fans who flooded his social media with words of support. "I didn't expect that response," he says. "I was quite emotional seeing everyone's posts and messages. Before that I had felt guilty, like I had let people down.

"To get that support was overwhelming and really kind of everyone. It was amazing that people thought so highly of me and cared about how I'm going to get through this."

The four-time British all-around champion and Commonwealth Games gold medallist admits it is effectively a grieving process.

"I don't know if I will ever get over it because I felt in really good shape," he says. "I had some good scores this year and thought I could be an asset to the team. Sometimes if you get injured, you can say to yourself that you tried but couldn't get back. I'm still trying to understand it. Hopefully I can find some answers then start to move on and think about my future career."

Purvis hopes to sit down with the selectors after the Olympics are over.

"At the moment the lads and the coaches have a job to do," he says. "Hopefully after that they can make some time for me and say if there was more I could have done – anything at all that will help me rationalise it."

In the meantime, he remains in unfamiliar limbo. Crosby-based Purvis must be poised to jump on a plane to Rio should the need arise, but equally is resolved to the fact he won't compete.

"It is a very difficult situation to be in," he says. "My mind-set is that I'm not going to Rio. But I'm on standby and have to be as fit as possible in case something does happen. I haven't been in this position before. Having been at every major since 2009 it is hard to accept."

We haven't seen the last of Purvis just yet. "I'll have a bit of a break, but my plan is to carry on until the 2018 Commonwealth Games and compete for Scotland," he says. "For that reason I don't want to let my body go too much. I'll have a good holiday and then get back in the gym because that's where I love to be."

Purvis, though, is contemplating a different approach to his work/life balance moving forward. "I'm going to be training more at home rather than at [British Gymnastics HQ in] Lilleshall this next year," he says. "I think it is time for a change. I would like to get my own little gym going as well as training.

"To do that I would need to be at home more. I may cut my hours from two sessions to one but still do six days a week. It is about training smart to preserve the body for as long as possible."