Laviai Nielsen and Asha Philip are in the running to be included on the shortlist for the prestigious Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year award.

The duo, who are from Leytonstone and Waltham Forest respectively, capped impressive years by winning silver medals at the IAAF World Championships last month.

Nielsen claimed her medal in the 4x400m, while Philip’s triumph came in the 4x100m and they could be set to add a personal honour to their collection.

Whether or not they do so is in the hands of the public, with fans able to vote for which athletes make the cut in the Sportswomen of the Year’s 30th anniversary edition.

Voting opened on Sunday and runs for three weeks ahead of the winners being announced at the Hilton London Bankside on Thursday, October 26.

The ceremony will be televised live on Sky Sports and the company’s managing director, Barney Francis, says it is an excellent chance to pay homage to the finest female sports stars the nation has to offer.

“It has been a game-changing year for women’s sport and throughout 2017, Sky has covered some fantastic team and individual successes,” Francis said.

“Our support of women’s sport has never been stronger and we are looking forward to broadcasting Sportswomen of the Year and celebrating the achievements of this year’s sporting stars.”

Nielsen was part of a strong run from Great Britain, which saw them hold off a challenge from Poland to claim second spot at the former Olympic Stadium.

The hosts ran a time of 3.25.00, finishing behind eventual winners United States, who clocked a world lead 3.19.02 to secure a deserving gold medal.

Philip, meanwhile, formed a quartet with Desiree Henry, Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita to pick up her silver medal.

They were chased all the way to the line by Jamaica and just squeezed into second spot, finishing 0.07 seconds clear of their challengers with a time of 42.12.

Again the British stars had to play second fiddle to their American counterparts, with the U.S. team posting a time of 41.82, which was once again quick enough to earn a world lead.

The pair face stern opposition to be included in the final running for the award, and Sunday Times editorial director, Eleanor Mills, praised the quality of athletes across Britain and Ireland.

She said: “We’re delighted to be able to honour the outstanding sportswomen of the UK and Ireland in the 30th anniversary of our annual sportswomen award.

“It is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate our female athletes, and the public vote always gives the awards added significance.”

The ceremony will be partnered by Vitality, and the companies CEO, Neville Koopowitz says the awards can help others get involved ion sport.

“Supporting women in sport is a key focus for us,” he said.

“We hope that partnering with role inspirational models such as Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill and Ellie Simmonds OBE can encourage more people to get involved in sport.”

To get involved and cast your vote for your sportswomen of the year visit www.sportswomenoftheyear.co.uk.