US-born Kerron Clement, two-times world 400 metres hurdles champion, got a bad first impression of London city on Monday as the bus taking him to the Olympic Village struggled to find its destination for four hours.

The champion was one among hundreds of athletes who arrived from across the world this morning to participate in the prestigious Games. Clement tweeted, “Um, so we’ve been lost on the road for 4hrs. Not a good first impression London. Athletes are sleepy, hungry and need to pee. Could we get to the Olympic Village please.”

The 26-year-old who won the world title in 2007 and 2009 before surrendering the crown to Great Britain’s Dai Greene in Daegu last year, is the defending Olympic silver medallist.

Meanwhile, accidents on the M4 motorway, the official Olympics lane, which is open only to Olympic officials, VIPs and athletes, caused further delays and resulting in serpentine 32-mile queues of traffic.

The first of the Olympic Games Lanes came into operation on the M4, which has just reopened following repairs. There were fears work on the damaged flyover near junction 2 of the motorway in west London would not be completed in time for the Olympic traffic-only lane to be used. But work was completed on time so the affected stretch could be opened last Friday.

The M4 lane, which is part of the Olympic Route Network (ORN), will be in operation between 5 am and 10 pm, is being introduced early to handle the beginning of the big rush of Olympic arrivals starting at nearby Heathrow airport.

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