Rubuta ci gaba don wannan sakin layi - Sentayehu ta fara fitowa a gasar zakarun duniya a gasar zakarun duniya ta matasa a 2001 kuma ta dauki lambar tagulla a mita 1500. Ba da daɗewa ba ta canza hankalinta zuwa nesa da nisa kuma ta yi gasa a gasar IAAF Golden League ta 2002, inda ta yi rikodin mafi kyawun mita 3000 na minti 8:48.30 a Weltklasse Zurich yana da shekara goma sha bakwai. Ta sami wuri a 2002 IAAF Grand Prix Final kuma ta zo ta bakwai a cikin taron. Matsayi na shida a tseren matasa a gasar tseren tsere ta duniya ta 2003 IAAF
ya taimaka wa matan Habasha zuwa taken ƙungiya, yayin da ɗan Habasha Tirunesh Dibaba ya lashe tseren. Ta inganta ta 3000 m hanya mafi kyau zuwa 8: 46.51 a wannan shekara amma bayyanar a 2003 IAAF World Athletics Final ya haifar da wani wuri na bakwai.