Mona Sulaiman

Mona Sulaiman (June 9, 1942 – December 21, 2017) was a Filipina sprinter who competed at the Asian Games and the Summer Olympics.

Early life Mona Sulaiman was born in a barrio in Cotabato on June 9, 1942 to Kudelat and Aminan Sulaiman, who were Muslims.

Career Sulaiman started her career competing in regional meets. She competed at the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta where she won gold medals in the 100 and 200 metre sprints and relay events. She also garnered a bronze medal in the shot put event at the same tournament.

She competed at the Summer Olympics in the 100 metres event at the 1960 and the 1964 editions.

Sulaiman also excelled in the disciplines of pentathlon and discus throw. She had traveled to the Asian Games with the Philippines delegation, but her refusal to take the test was reported on by media at home in Manila, leading to more attention. Philippines officials responded to this by announcing that Sulaiman would be banned from athletics.

Later life and death After retiring from competitive play, Solaiman worked in the private sector until the 1990s when she was hired by the Philippine Sports Commission to serve as a consultant for the national athletics team.

She died in Manila on 21 December 2017. She was 75.

Legacy Solaiman and bowler Bong Coo share the Asian Games record for the most gold medals won by a Filipino athlete - male or female - in a single edition. In the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta, she won three gold medals (100 meter dash, 200 meter dash, and 4100 meter relay).

Solaiman was among the second group of Filipino sports legends inducted into the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame on January 25, 2016 at the Century Park Hotel in Manila.