The 2004 season saw him break through onto the global scene – he won 800 metres and 1500 m golds at the 2004 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships (setting an Asian record at the shorter distance) and then took the silver medal at the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships the following month, improving his 800 m area record and just finishing behind Mbulaeni Mulaudzi. Competing on the European circuit, he took his first Golden League win in the 1500 m at the Golden Gala in Rome. Later that year, he represented his adopted country at the 2008 Summer Olympics for the first time and he reached the semi-finals of the 1500 m at the 2004 Athens Olympics.