Pedzisa mutsara unotevera: Mekonnen akasvika pakuzivikanwa pazera remakore gumi nemasere nekushanda menduru yesirivha mumamita 5000 pa1998 African Championships muAtletics, achipedzisa shure kwemukwikwidzi wepasi rose Daniel Komen. Akatevera izvi negoridhe nesirivha yechikwata munhangemutange yechidiki uye menduru yebronze yevanhu uye yechikwata munhangemutange pfupi pa
1999 IAAF World Cross Country Championships. Akaisa zvakawanda zvekubudirira kwake kubetsero yaakange agamuchira kubva kuna Haile Gebrselassie, uyo aive shamwari yake yekudzidzira uye chipangamazano. Akamhanyisa rekodhi yepasi rose yevechidiki mumamita 3000 muStuttgart, Germany, asi izvi hazvina kumbobvumidzwa sezvo asina kuongororwa doping inodiwa kuti zvinyorwa zvivepo. Akapedza ari wechinomwe mumakwikwi emamita zviuru zvishanu pamakwikwi e1999 eWorld Championships muAthletics uye akapedza gore negoridhe remamita chiuru nemazana mashanu pamakwikwi e1999 All-Africa Games uye kukunda paCross Internacional de Venta de Baños. Akagadza chinyorwa chenyika chomukati che8:09.66 mumakiromita maviri muBirmingham muna February. Zvisinei, Mekonnen akakwanisa chete nzvimbo yechitanhatu munhangemutange pfupi pa2000 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, asi zvakare akahwina timu yendarira neEthiopia. Akamirira nyika yake kuma 2000 Summer Olympics, achipedza ari wechinomwe mumasemi-fainari emamita 1500.