Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: Oge kachasị mma nke oge ya bịara na 2004 Athens Olympics, ebe ọ ghọrọ onye mbụ n'akụkọ egwuregwu Eritrea iji merie ihe nrite Olympic. Zersenay nwetara ọla nchara na mita 10,000 na 2004 Summer Olympics na Atens, Gris n'azụ Kenenisa Bekele, na Sileshi Sihine. Ihe o mere nke 27:22.57 bụ nnukwu mmụba dịka o meriri nke kachasị mma ya na mbụ site na sekọnd iri, n'agbanyeghị ọnọdụ okpomọkụ na-adịghị mma. Zersenay jụrụ ime ndọrọndọrọ ọchịchị maka mmeri ya n'azụ ndị otu ya Etiopia, na-ekwupụta: "anyị na ndị Etiopia abụrụla enyi mgbe niile. Ugbu a anyị bụ mba... Enwere m ike ikwu na enwere m obi ụtọ. " Onye na-agba ọsọ Eritrea a mụrụ Meb Keflezighi, na-anọchite anya United States, meriri ọlaọcha na
marathon ụbọchị ole na ole ka e mesịrị, na-eme ka ọ pụta ìhè na mba ahụ na-emeziwanye ụkpụrụ. Zersenay mechiri asọmpi Olympic mbụ ya site na iru asọmpi ọzọ: ọ were ọnọdụ nke asaa na ọsọ 5000 nke ụmụ nwoke, na-akwado ọnọdụ ya dị ka onye na-agba ọsọ ụwa.