This version is very popular and very loved by speedrunning community, because 1.16 changed speedrunning . It upgraded the Nether dimension and added a whole new trading system that helps massively in a speedrun. This is currently the most popular category in speedrunning, everybody usually starts here. It is so great because the update brought the new structure – “Bastion”. This is the META(literally the only way to get a good run) for speedrunning, because with Bastions Mojang added piglins, who can trade a lot of useful stuff for gold. But arguably the most important items are: Ender Pearls, Fire Resistance potions, blocks and string to make wool(to create beds to slain Ender Dragon with). The other very important reason people only play on this version is Ender Pearl trades, piglings have a specific trading system, they can trade a lot of blocks and each trade has a specific percentage, it is around 5% in 1.16.(number is reduced in versions after 1.16) This is very helpful, because the faster you get the pearls, the faster you finish the run. This is by far the most dominated version people speedrun on.