Dahmani's first international outings came through the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. Running as a junior, she came 58th in 1997, 55th in 1998, and 43rd in 1999. Once she had grown into the senior ranks she did not compete at a high level until 2007. That year she won the Algerian cross country title and was runner-up at the national half marathon championships. Her half marathon performance led to her first senior international selections: she was runner-up at the Arab Athletics Championships, the bronze medallist at the 2007 All-Africa Games, and the silver medallist at the 2007 Pan Arab Games.