He won a bronze medal in the 50m backstroke at the 2009 World University Games with a time of 25.09. That year, Barnea set what at the time was the Israeli record in the 50m backstroke, with a time of 24.64. At the 2009 Maccabiah Games, he won a gold medal in the Men's 100m backstroke with a time of 54.22, setting a new Maccabiah Games record and Israeli record.