Swimmers who get distracted with this kind of future focus almost always swim tight and feel heavy. Stay in the now as you race concentrating on what you are doing, while you are doing it. Concentration is the key mental skill to swimming excellence and mental toughness. Quickly and gently bring yourself back to a proper focus. This is the heart of championship concentration.
Champions do one thing better than everyone else.
But just as important, they let it go quickly. In other words, they don't dwell on the past. Psych-outs and intimidation can only occur when you choose to start focusing outside of yourself, on another swimmer. Staying within yourself means that you have to want to mentally stay in your own lane when you compete. Thinking about someone else's best times, how fast they finish or how awesome they are will only make you choke and swim tight.