She defeated a high-profile field including Olympic fourth-placer Michiko Shimizu and double Asian medallist Sunita Rani.

This achievement made her Indonesia's first ever female gold medallist in the athletics competition, and only the country's second winner after Mohammed Sarengat's 1962 men's sprint/hurdles double.

[3][5] Sutono retained two of her three titles at the 1999 Southeast Asian Games, topping the podium in the 1500 m and 5000 m events, but relinquishing the 10,000 m to Malaysia's Yuan Yufang.

Taking the home advantage in Jakarta, she won the 10,000 m title and took a bronze medal in the 5000 m. The made her Indonesia's first gold medallist at the championships since its initiation in 1973.

[2] She came close to repeating her long-distance double but was narrowly beaten into second place in the 10,000 m by Vietnamese runner Doan Nu Truc Van.