Born in Kenitra, she made her first international appearance for Morocco at the 1998 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, where she was sixtieth in the long race. She was twelfth in the 10,000 metres at the 1998 World Junior Championships in Athletics and competed in the junior race at the 1999 IAAF World Cross Country Championships. He first junior honours came at the 1999 African Junior Athletics Championships, at which she won the 1500 metres silver behind Jeruto Kiptum. She convinced her older sister Mina Aït Hammou to switch from handball and soccer to athletics, which led to much success for the pair. The younger Seltana was the first to win international medals as she became the 800 m champion at the 2001 Mediterranean Games. The following year she took fifth place at the 2002 African Championships in Athletics and won the 800 m gold and 400 metres silver medal at the 2002 Africa Military Games.