Rubuta ci gaba don wannan sakin layi - Babban lokacinsa ya zo ne a wasannin Olympics na Athens na 2004, inda ya zama mutum na farko a tarihin wasanni na Eritrea da ya lashe lambar yabo ta Olympics. Zersenay ya dauki tagulla a cikin mita 10,000 a Wasannin Olympics na 2004 a Athens, Girka a bayan Kenenisa Bekele, da Sileshi Sihine. Ayyukansa na 27:22.57 ya wakilci ci gaba mai ban mamaki kamar yadda ya doke mafi kyawunsa na baya da dakika goma, duk da yanayin zafi mara kyau. Zersenay ya ƙi yin siyasa game da nasarar da ya samu a bayan takwarorinsa na Habasha, yana mai cewa: "a koyaushe muna abota da Habashawa. Yanzu mu al'umma ce...Zan iya cewa ina farin ciki sosai. " Mai tseren tseren Eritrea Meb Keflezighi, wanda ke wakiltar Amurka, ya lashe azurfa a tseren marathon
'yan kwanaki bayan haka, yana nuna ingantacciyar matsayin kasar. Zersenay ya gama wasannin Olympics na farko ta hanyar kaiwa wani wasan karshe: ya dauki matsayi na bakwai a tseren maza na mita 5000, yana tabbatar da matsayinsa a matsayin mai tseren tseren duniya.