He made his first international appearances for Spain in 2004. He ran in the long race at the 2004 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and finished in 57th place. He had greater success on the track: he won the national title over 5000 metres and was a close second to Hudson de Souza over 3000 metres at the 2004 Ibero-American Championships in Athletics. His Olympic debut followed at the 2004 Athens Olympics, but he was eliminated in the heats of the 5000 m.