Born in Indonesia's Cilacap Regency, Sutono came to prominence at regional level at the 1997 Southeast Asian Games held in Jakarta, when she won an unprecedented three gold medals in the 1500 metres, 5000 metres and 10,000 metres. She won each event with a games record time. Her 1500 m run of 4:21.50 minutes proved to be a lifetime best. The 5000 m made its debut on the 1998 Asian Games programme, replacing the 3000 m, and Sutono won the inaugural race with a time of 15:54.45 minutes. 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. She also entered the 10,000 m a finished fifth. She set lifetime bests over both distances, timing 15:54.45 minutes and 32:52.45 minutes, respectively.