Paratarsotomus macropalpis, a Californian mite, is smaller than half a centimeter. In a race it would lose to a cheetah. However, the speed at which it moves relative to it's body size is extraordinary. If a human were to run at the same body lengths per second as the mite, that person would be running approximately 1300 mph.

And fleas can jump 100 times their own body height. Small animals can do these types of things because of physics.

True Steve... If an ant were the size of a human it would not be able to carry so many times its own body weight. It would be really cool if people could lift 3 or more times their own body weight.