Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Neeraj Chopra kickstarted his off-season training at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Centre in California, USA on Monday before the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and World Athletics Championships.

The 23-year-old will train at the reputed facility for 90 days along with coach Klaus Bartoneitz after the Sports Authority of India (SAI) cleared a proposal in quick time on Friday. Physiotherapist Ishaan Marwaha has also travelled with Chopra.

It's time to put the past to rest and focus on the future. Have arrived for my off-season training and look forward to restarting the process of getting better.

Immensely grateful to DG sir, @Media_SAI, the TOPS and @afiindia teams and everyone involved in making this happen 🙏 pic.twitter.com/vbSSymdx1E

— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) December 8, 2021

The state-of-the-art centre, spread over 155 acres, is one of the world’s finest.

“It’s time to put the past to rest and focus on the future. Have arrived for my off-season training and look forward to restarting the process of getting better. Immensely grateful to DG sir, @Media_SAI, the TOPS and @afiindia teams and everyone involved in making this happen,” Chopra wrote on Twitter.

The proposal, moved by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), was approved inside four hours. The cost approved to train at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Centre under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) will be Rs 38 lakh.

Under the earlier plan, Chopra was to proceed to Potchefstroom but it was scrapped due to the new COVID-19 strain in South Africa. Given the uncertainty, SAI decided not to wait for the Mission Olympic Cell meeting to approve the proposal.

In the Tokyo Games, Chopra etched his name in the history books by winning India’s first-ever athletics gold medal in men’s javelin throw event. He became the second Indian after Abhinav Bindra to win an individual Olympic gold medal.