Kuenderera mberi kwechikamu chino - Kukwirira kwemwaka wake kwakauya pa 2004 Athens Olimpiki, kwaakave munhu wekutanga munhoroondo yemitambo yeEritrea kuhwina menduru yeOlympic. Zersenay akatora menduru yendarira mumakwikwi emamita zviuru gumi pamitambo yeOlympic yezhizha ya2004 kuAthens, Greece kumashure kwaKenenisa Bekele, naSileshi Sihine. Kuita kwake 27:22.57 kwakamirira kuvandudzwa kunoshamisa sezvo akanga arova zvaaiita kare nemasekondi gumi, pasinei nemamiriro okunze asina kunaka. Zersenay akaramba kuita zvematongerwo enyika kuhwina menduru yake kumashure kwevamwe vake veEthiopia, achiti: "Isu takagara tiri shamwari nevaEthiopia. Zvino tava rudzi... ndinogona kutaura kuti ndinofara zvikuru". Mumhanyi akaberekerwa muEritrea Meb Keflezighi, achimiririra United States, akahwina sirivha mumarathon
mazuva mashomanana gare gare, zvichiratidza kuvandudzika kwemitemo yenyika. Zersenay akapedza maOlympics ake ekutanga nekusvika kumagumo echimwe chiitiko: akatora nzvimbo yechinomwe munhangemutange yevarume yemamita zviuru zvishanu, achisimbisa chinzvimbo chake semumhanyi wepasi rose.