Does competition help improve typing?
Social competition is a proven accelerator. Seeing someone type faster than you creates intrinsic motivation to improve. Leaderboards give a concrete goal: "pass Paul", "enter the top 50", "beat my record". Without rankings, you train in a vacuum. With them, every session has stakes.
How to use leaderboards smartly?
Don't compare yourself to the top 0.1% — it's discouraging and pointless. Compare yourself to players slightly above you. The weekly ranking is more motivating than the global one because it resets regularly. And the friends ranking creates daily emulation.
What typing speed records exist?
The world typing record in English exceeds 200 WPM. In competition, the best hover around 150-180 WPM. But these numbers are not your goal. An excellent score for a non-professional is between 80 and 100 WPM. It's achievable by everyone with practice.