Ng Sonia Chanu won the best weightlifter award at the conclusion of the Commonwealth Championships in Penang, Malaysia on Saturday, but the celebrations were muted as the 29-year-old Indian was worried about her participation in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

The Indian Weightlifting Federation could be banned from next year’s event after seven lifters were found positive in out-of-competitions tests conducted by WADA and NADA recently.

“If our country is banned again, my efforts will go to waste as I’m very confident of a gold in the Commonwealth Games,” said Chanu, who led the charge as India finished with a 27-medal haul, including 17 gold, nine silver and one bronze. The Imphal lifter, who won gold in the 48kg category with a lift of 162kg (72 in snatch and 96 in clean and jerk), said she was happy her hard work was finally paying off. “I have not been to my home in Imphal for the last two years as I was busy training. The first thing I did was call my parents,” she said.

Meanwhile, coach Harnaam Singh said the performance proved that the Indians stood a very good chance for repeating the feat at the Commonwealth Games — if only they were allowed to participate. “Most of the opponents that we faced at Penang would be there in Delhi as well. So we can do it again, if we are not banned,” he said.