Born in Debre Zeyit in Ethiopia's Oromia Region, he came to international prominence as a teenager with a bronze medal at the 2007 World Youth Championships in Athletics and a silver at the 2007 African Junior Athletics Championships. He set a personal best of 3:41.25 minutes for the 1500 m that year at the Meeting Iberoamericano. He ran at the 2008 World Junior Championships in Athletics but was eliminated in the first round.