He emerged as a senior the following year, taking the bronze in the short race at the 1998 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and helping Kenya to the team gold medal. He also led Kenya to a team victory at the IAAF World Road Relay Championships in Manaus in April. He was the fourth fastest athlete in the world that year in the steeplechase. He also began taking part in road running competitions and won the 10 km BOclassic race at the end of the year. He improved to the silver medal position at the 1999 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, finishing behind Paul Tergat to help Kenya to a consecutive team win. He represented his country on the track at the 1999 World Championships in Athletics in Seville, where he was seventh in the men's steeplechase. He closed his track season with a fifth-place finish at the 1999 IAAF Grand Prix Final.