Gold medal for commuting: US basketball stars ditch their private cars to take public transport with their fans

Some of the world's richest athletes have left their chauffeur-driven cars at home and opted to take public transport to their events at the Olympic Games in London.



Among those stars happy to take the budget travel option were multi-millionaire NBA basketballers LeBron James and Kobe Bryant who were pictured travelling on the late-night express Javelin service from Stratford’s Olympic park to St Pancras with their American teammates.



The U.S. basketball team have chosen not to stay in the Olympic village and were heading back to their hotel in central London.

Grounded: Multi-millionaires LeBron James, front right, and Kobe Bryant, front left, were among the U.S. basketball team pictured riding a train Homeward bound: Team USA members prepare to board the train

A commuter uploaded this photo of members of the Rwanda Olympics team waiting at their local bus stop in Shoreditch

James has an £11 million-a-year deal with the Miami Heat and lucrative sponsorship deals with Nike and Coca-Cola while Bryant, 32, signed a three-year contract with the LA lakers worth £55 million in 2010.

Bryant already has a gold medal from Beijing and won gold at the FIBA Americas Championship in LAS Vegas in 2007.



America's 400 metres hurlder Lashinda Demus has also opted for public transport - riding the 257 bus home with her husband Jamel Mayrant and their young twin sons each night to her rented accommodation near Leytonstone High Road.

Brightening up the daily commute: Venezuelan fencer stunned passengers by getting on the tube with his gold medal

Enjoying the ride: American 400m hurdler Lashinda Demus on the 257 bus from Stratford at 1am in the morning

In action: Lashinda Demus runs in the semi-final of the women's 400m hurdles

The world champion and US record holder, sat next to discarded food cartons and drink containers at 1am after winning her heat, told the Evening Standard: 'I simply like riding on public transport. It’s only a couple of stops to where I am staying.'



Team GB members have also been spotted waiting for east-bound trains at Mile End while Rwandan athletes were spotted waiting patiently for a train at Shoreditch High Street overground station.



Venezuelan fencer Ruben Limardo Gascón stunned commuters when he boarded a DLR carriage with his gold medal around his neck.

From two wheels to four: Australian cyclist Kaarle Mcculloch with her bronze medal on the bus

Kaarle Mcculloch celebrates winning the Women's team sprint bronze final

Waiting Games: Team GB members on the platform at Mile End underground station

One Olympics fan took this photo of some Russian team members on the tube



