Kifle was injured in the 2003 season, but came back in 2004 with a top ten finish at the 2004 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and a second Olympic appearance on the track, taking 16th in the 10,000 m final at the 2004 Athens Olympics. He was eleventh in the 10,000 m at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics and won his first major individual medal with a third-place finish at the 2005 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships. He made the top ten at both the 2006 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and 2006 IAAF World Road Running Championships. He had some of his best half marathon performances in 2007, including a bronze medal at the 2007 All-Africa Games and set a significant personal best of 59:30 minutes to take fifth at the 2007 IAAF World Road Running Championships.