Career
She held three German senior titles in her own division, picked up a total of twenty-nine medals in her career, including a bronze from the 2000 European Judo Championships in Wrocław, Poland, and represented Germany in two editions of the Olympic Games (2000 and 2004). Kuhnen made her official debut at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, where she competed for the German team in the women"s half-heavyweight class (78 kg). She thwarted Gabon"s Mélanie Engoang in a sudden-death prelim match, before falling short in her next bout to South of Korea"s Lee So-yeon, who threw her off the tatami with a double yuko score within four seconds.
At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Kuhnen qualified for her second German squad again in the women"s half-heavyweight class (78 kg), by placing seventh from the World Championships in Osaka, Japan.