He made his global debut as a senior athlete in 2007, beginning with the 2007 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, at which he placed 97th overall. He later ran in the 5000 m at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics, but was second-to-last place overall and over a minute slower than the next fastest runner. He gave similar performances at that year's 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, finishing tenth in the 10,000 m and eleventh in the 5000 m. Two more top level events followed the year after: at the 2008 IAAF World Cross Country Championships he was further down the order in 154th place, but managed to set a half marathon best of 1:10:20 hours at the 2008 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships, where he was 58th.