Genet was based in the Netherlands at the start of 2007: she was third at the Parelloop in April and set a 10,000 metres best of 32:09:50 minutes in Valkenswaard. She moved up to longer distances and a third place at the Ethiopian 20 km Championship brought her selection for the 2007 IAAF World Road Running Championships. On her half marathon debut she came 19th in the event with a run of 1:10:30 hours. She ran at the Ethiopian Run for the fifth time in as many years and was fourth. She was fifth at the 2008 Ethiopian cross country championships, but did not gain selection for the world championships. However, she made her breakthrough in the half marathon that year. She was third at the Paris Half Marathon and her fourth place at the 2008 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships helped Ethiopia to the team title. She had a personal best run of 1:08:18 hours to take second behind Aselefech Mergia at the New Delhi Half Marathon and this ranked her the fourth fastest in the world that year.