She began to make progress in cross country running, taking the junior bronze at the 1997 IAAF World Cross Country Championships before helping Ethiopia to the team silver at the 1998 edition and then the team gold with a fourth-place finish in the long race at the 1999 IAAF World Cross Country Championships. She finished third in the 1999–2000 IAAF World Cross Challenge. A ninth place at the 2000 World Championships competition brought yet another team gold for Ethiopia.