She competed for the sports club Eintracht Braunschweig.
Kilian won national championships in 1955, 1956, 1957 and 1958, as well as West German indoor titles in 1956 and 1959.
She set German records in 1956 (three times) and 1958.Kilian represented the United Team of Germany at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, where she placed 18th.
She also placed 4th at the 1958 European Athletics Championships in Stockholm.