The following year brought her first major senior medal – she was the silver medallist behind Gelete Burka in the 1500 m at the 2008 African Championships in Athletics. On the Brazilian athletics circuit she had three straight wins including a personal best of 2:02.12 minutes in the 800 m in Rio de Janeiro. Her best run in the 1500 m that season was 4:05.67 minutes, which came at a meeting in Jerez de la Frontera. She was chosen to represent Ethiopia at the 2008 Summer Olympics, but she was eliminated in the first round of heats.