At the 2008 Kenyan Cross Country Championships he outran Mathew Kisorio to win the junior title. His global debut at the 2008 IAAF World Cross Country Championships saw him finish in tenth place (the fifth Kenyan finisher). He ran on the European track and field circuit for the first time that year: he set a 5000 metres personal best of 13:03.04 minutes as runner-up at the KBC Night of Athletics, came third at the British Grand Prix, and was runner-up at the Rieti Meeting with a 3000 metres best of 7:33.01 minutes. He also won at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix.