She began her career as a junior cross country runner, placing third at the 2008 Athletics Kenya series meet in 2008 and managing fifth at the 2009 Discovery Cross Country Championships. By the end of 2009 she had improved her best for the 3000 metres steeplechase to 10:13.6 minutes. She won the Kenyan youth title in 2010 and, in her first international appearance, easily defeated her Ethiopian rival Tsehynesh Tsenga to the 2000 metres steeplechase gold medal at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics.